Wenceslas Square And Environs, 1

Our reconnaissance phase completed, we set forth September 24th to do the Rickie Stevie "Prague Walk," which takes you from Wenceslas Square through Old Town Square to Charles IV Square and across the Charles Bridge. Alas, we veered off from this after Wenceslas Square to explore some streets southwest, still New Town, vowing to rejoin the tour another day, starting at the Municipal House.

Along the way, a better view of the Municipal House

Much musical history in Prague, mostly well-signed,

if not in English, however

Another great Gothic tower

It seems like nearly every building, at least the old ones, is adorned
with sculpture or paint

Sometimes sidewalks too

Inside a downtown post office

All four walls so adorned

At the top of Wenceslas Square, the national museum

"Under the horse's tail" is a common meeting point at the Square

Houses of parliament during the Russian occupation

Proper view of Good King Wenceslas, first great Czech ruler; also
known to you, dear Reader, via the Christmas carol

Looking down the square, actually a wide boulevard; here, in
November of 1989, hundreds of thousands gathered nightly to
demand an end to the Russian occupation and rule; unlike 1968,
this time the Russians did not send in their tanks...it was the
Velvet Revolution

The long square features just about every kind of architecture since

Gothic; here, a particularly huge and exotic art deco

The old Grand Europa Hotel, under new management presumably, 
an art nouveau landmark

Pregnant with meaning department: yes, it's the M&S (sic transit,
Gloria); yes, it has five (count 'em) great caryatids/telamons; but,
most importantly, this is the balcony from which Vaclav Havel 
announced the end of Russian control and the establishment of a
free Czech republic in 1989

In an arcade off Wenceslas Square, Good King

Wenceslas demonstrates his unusual riding skills

In another arcade, a popular downtown ice creamery...the banana/

strawberry was just OK, the pistachio, superb

Same arcade...Tesla was a Czech manufacturer of radios in the 1930s;
huge stained glass piece

Franciscan chapel in the Franciscan garden, again, just off
Wenceslas Square

Tallest rose vines ever, so far

Back on the Square, gawking